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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22384063">sending</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightindigo/pseuds/essektheylyss'>essektheylyss (midnightindigo)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Critical Role (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, episode 92 spoilers, if you watched you know what this is, sending spell nonsense</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 17:08:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>823</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22384063</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightindigo/pseuds/essektheylyss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Essek says he looooves you."</p><p>If Caleb had failed his insight check.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>285</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>sending</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this on break after a glass of whiskey. Do not @ me.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The way Jester says it, he thinks she might be exaggerating—she must be exaggerating. She has to be exaggerating, because there is no possible way that Essek Thelyss, whose home they’ve left an hour ago, chose now, by proxy through Jester, to express any sort of feelings to him.</p><p>Of course, he hadn’t been quite sure what they were talking about all night, if it was magic, or something else, hadn’t been certain when Essek had invited him for breakfast whether he’d intended to have him over in the morning or if he was trying to suggest Caleb stay the night. </p><p>Jester looks at him earnestly, blinks at him as if this were the most natural thing in the world for Essek to pass along in this message, and he frowns. He doesn’t think she’s lying, but he also cannot believe she’s telling the truth. Every intelligent bone in his body says otherwise. </p><p>But Jester does exaggerate, but she also is a particularly blunt person, and if there was something in the message for him directly, then she may have said it more… bluntly, then the spymaster for the Kryn Dynasty would, but it was likely the same message. </p><p>His ears are turning pink and his face feels hot and it’s been a little too long of him standing here, staring at Jester, stupefied, while he processes what it is she’s just said. </p><p>“Sorry, ahem, could you—“ She stares at him, and it’s uncomfortably obvious that the others are waiting for him to speak, and he can’t bring himself to evaluate their reactions. He leans in closer, and lowers his voice. “Could you repeat that?”</p><p>She matches his volume, her too-obvious whisper still causing him to cringe a bit. “Essek says he looooves you.”</p><p>“Well,” he swallows, and purses his lips. He leans back away from her again, and his entire face is on <i>fire</i>. This wasn’t a hurdle he intended to jump today.</p><p>Yes, of course he was interested in Essek. Essek was a… fascinating individual, as he’d suggested to Beau just last night. He was interested in many of the same things Caleb was, which made him an excellent mentor and even possibly a study partner, after the work they’d done today. But it wasn’t something he could pursue, what with his Empire connections and their position at the pinnacle of peace talks between the two nations and… oh, so many other things. How much Essek didn’t know about him, his past. How much he didn’t know about Essek.</p><p>And this was simply not the time to discuss it. They were on their way out of the Kryn Dynasty once again, headed to Zadash, with several items to check off of their to-do list and not enough time to do them. This was not the time for any sort of big announcements or revelations, which is why, against all his better judgment, he convinces himself that Jester is exaggerating, no matter how sincere she seems. That he has to play it safe now, to help his friends, even if that hurts his own feelings in the long run. </p><p>What kind of response would he want, if he’d passed the same thing along via this kind of message?</p><p>“Ah,” he hums, as quietly as possible, trying not to let anyone else notice what he’s saying. Jester is already involved, but after Beau tagging along on their walk last night—her smug smile as they left Essek’s when they’d escorted him home—he doesn’t particularly want the rest of them to hear him.  “Tell Essek… Please tell Essek that we should speak when I return to the Dynasty. Or perhaps when we see each other on the ship.”</p><p>She smiles wickedly, and he’s starting to see something that he’d missed before, but her fingers are already moving in the air and she sings out, “Aaaand Caleb says you should talk. Next time you’re together. <i>Alone</i>.”</p><p>And, for the first time in a while, she drops the spell before the words are up, and she bursts out laughing. “Oh my god you totally fell for it! You <i>totally</i> fell for it!” If he was red before, he’s crimson now, and he ducks his head as Jester’s laughter devolves into… well, as chaotic as Jester gets, and he can feel everyone staring at him now.</p><p>“Jester,” he hisses under his breath. “<i>Why</i>—“</p><p>But then her eyes open wide, and this time there is no question—a huge grin spreads over her face mischievously, and she snaps, “Well, Caaaayleb, Essek says he looks forward to speaking to you.”</p><p>She says it with such seriousness, and in such a specific accent, that he has no doubt that that is actually an exact quote.</p><p>And suddenly, his face cools a bit.</p><p>Whenever they do get the chance to talk, maybe it won’t be as awkward as whatever that just was.</p><p>Maybe it could mean something after all.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have! No! Shame!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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